I
was really jazzed when I first heard they would be making a movie version of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe because, like the books of Tolkien, the books of C.S. Lewis had been the source of much childhood speculation. Now, for those of you in the audience who don’t know, Lewis is a Christian author (his fictional works are allegories of Christian doctrine written for children) and the Walt Disney Corporation is working for the other team (sorry to be the bearer of bad news), so I had my doubts from the beginning. The film, ultimately, was a disappointment for me; not because it didn’t carry a Christian message (of course it didn’t) but because it reflected the post-Potter perception of fantasy and had now become an allegory for coming of age. (Most children’s stories are, really, which is why so many children in them are orphaned.) It was also a darker movie than I expected, in keeping with the Potters. The most magical part of the movie may be its soundtrack, composed by Harry Gregson-Williams. Complete with the Celtic overtones you’d expect, this score to Narnia is an epic adventure all by itself. (An AMG critic concluded the score was “a noble yet empty gesture,” which is unduly dismissive in my opinion.) There’s even a supernatural quality to the orchestral sounds, suggesting instruments that are fundamentally familiar yet ultimately alien. At the end of the score are a handful of songs, including one (“Where”) written by Gregson-Williams and Lisbeth Scott that was not featured in the film. I actually picked this soundtrack up just to hear the Tim Finn tune, “Winter Light.” (It’s alright, but you’ll find it on his Imaginary Kingdom too.) The Imogen Heap song, “Can’t Take It In,” is the real winner, a dreamlike and heavily produced song that suggests Cocteau Twins, Kate Bush and faerie folk akin to them. There’s also an Alanis Morissette song on here that features her unique vocals (or a cat being tasered, since I always confuse the two).